It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Sunday, December 22, 2024
US warplane shot down by "friendly fire" over Red Sea
Xinhua 2024-12-22
Two US Navy pilots ejected safely after their fighter jet was shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent "friendly fire" incident, said the US military.
"The guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18," US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.
Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries, according to the statement.
The apparent friendly fire incident came the same day US forces conducted airstrikes on a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility reportedly operated by the Houthis group within Sanaa, Yemen.
"CENTCOM forces conducted the deliberate strikes to disrupt and degrade Houthi operations, such as attacks against US Navy warships and merchant vessels in the Southern Red Sea, Bab al-Mandeb, and Gulf of Aden," CENTCOM said in a separate statement.
US forces also shot down multiple Houthi one-way attack drones and an anti-ship cruise missile over the Red Sea, it said.
The US military operations came hours after the Houthis claimed responsibility for a ballistic missile attack on central Israel, which injured at least 20 Israelis in Tel Aviv.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have been carrying out rocket and drone attacks on Israeli cities and disrupting "Israeli-linked" shipping in the Red Sea.
In response, the US-led navy coalition stationed in the area has been conducting regular air raids on Houthi targets since January in a bid to deter the armed group.
Source: Xinhua Editor: Zhang Long
Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident Two US Navy pilots were recovered alive after their aircraft was shot down over the Red Sea early on Sunday in what the US military described as "an apparent case of friendly fire". The military earlier said it struck Houthi targets in Yemen, hours after the Iran-backed militia fired a missile at Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv.
Two US Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the US military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries. But the shootdown underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become over the ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite US and European military coalitions patrolling the area.
The US military had conducted airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the time, though the US military’s Central Command did not elaborate on what their mission was and did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.
The F/A-18 shot down had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, Central Command said. On Dec. 15, Central Command acknowledged the Truman had entered the Mideast, but hadn't specified that the carrier and its battle group was in the Red Sea.
“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18,” Central Command said in a statement.
From the military's description, the aircraft shot down was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
It wasn't immediately clear how the Gettysburg could mistake an F/A-18 for an enemy aircraft or missile, particularly as ships in a battle group remain linked by both radar and radio communication.
However, Central Command said that warships and aircraft earlier shot down multiple Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the rebels. Incoming hostile fire from the Houthis has given sailors just seconds to make decisions in the past.
Since the Truman's arrival, the US has stepped up its airstrikes targeting the Houthis and their missile fire into the Red Sea and the surrounding area. However, the presence of an American warship group may spark renewed attacks from the rebels, like what the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower saw earlier this year. That deployment marked what the Navy described as its most intense combat since World War II.
On Saturday night and early Sunday, US warplanes conducted airstrikes that shook Sanaa, the capital of Yemen that the Houthis have held since 2014. Central Command described the strikes as targeting a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility,” without elaborating.
Houthi-controlled media reported strikes in both Sanaa and around the port city of Hodeida, without offering any casualty or damage information. In Sanaa, strikes appeared particularly targeted at a mountainside known to be home to military installations. The Houthis later acknowledged the aircraft being shot down in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have targeted about 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023 after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage.
Israel’s grinding offensive in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, local health officials say. The tally doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two in a campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been
Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent 'friendly fire' incident, US military says
Both pilots were recovered alive, with one suffering minor injuries
Photo by: Bernat Armangue/AP A fighter jet maneuvers on the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea.
Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the U.S military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels.
Both pilots were recovered alive after ejecting from their stricken aircraft, with one suffering minor injuries. But the shootdown underlines just how dangerous the Red Sea corridor has become over the ongoing attacks on shipping by the Iranian-backed Houthis despite U.S. and European military coalitions patrolling the area.
AP This is a locator map for Yemen with its capitol
The U.S. military had conducted airstrikes targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels at the time, though the U.S. military’s Central Command did not elaborate on what their mission was and did not immediately respond to questions from The Associated Press.
The F/A-18 shot down had just flown off the deck of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, Central Command said. On Dec. 15, Central Command acknowledged the Truman had entered the Mideast, but hadn't specified that the carrier and its battle group was in the Red Sea.
“The guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, which is part of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, mistakenly fired on and hit the F/A-18,” Central Command said in a statement.
From the military's description, the aircraft shot down was a two-seat F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 11 out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
It wasn't immediately clear how the Gettysburg could mistake an F/A-18 for an enemy aircraft or missile, particularly as ships in a battle group remain linked by both radar and radio communication.
However, Central Command said that warships and aircraft earlier shot down multiple Houthi drones and an anti-ship cruise missile launched by the rebels. Incoming hostile fire from the Houthis has given sailors just seconds to make decisions in the past.
Since the Truman's arrival, the U.S. has stepped up its airstrikes targeting the Houthis and their missile fire into the Red Sea and the surrounding area. However, the presence of an American warship group may spark renewed attacks from the rebels, like what the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower saw earlier this year. That deployment marked what the Navy described as its most intense combat since World War II.
On Saturday night and early Sunday, U.S. warplanes conducted airstrikes that shook Sanaa, the capital of Yemen that the Houthis have held since 2014. Central Command described the strikes as targeting a “missile storage facility” and a “command-and-control facility,” without elaborating.
Houthi-controlled media reported strikes in both Sanaa and around the port city of Hodeida, without offering any casualty or damage information. In Sanaa, strikes appeared particularly targeted at a mountainside known to be home to military installations. The Houthis later acknowledged the aircraft being shot down in the Red Sea.
The Houthis have targeted about 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip started in October 2023 after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage.
Israel’s grinding offensive in Gaza has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, local health officials say. The tally doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians.
The Houthis have seized one vessel and sunk two in a campaign that has also killed four sailors. Other missiles and drones have either been intercepted by separate U.S.- and European-led coalitions in the Red Sea or failed to reach their targets, which have also included Western military vessels.
The rebels maintain that they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the United Kingdom to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict, including some bound for Iran.
The Houthis also have increasingly targeted Israel itself with drones and missiles, resulting in retaliatory Israeli airstrikes.
USS Gettysburg Shoots Down an F/A-18 Fighter Over the Red
USS Gettysburg under way in the Red Sea, Dec. 2024 (USN)
On Sunday morning, a U.S. Navy cruiser accidentally shot down a U.S. Navy fighter jet over the Red Sea, forcing the two pilots to eject. The friendly-fire incident occurred after a UAV and missile barrage launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels, according to U.S. Central Command.
Early Sunday morning, an F/A-18 Super Hornet launched off the deck of the carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. Shortly after the fighter took off, the crew of the USS Gettysburg - the carrier strike group's cruiser, typically the host of the air defense commander - misidentified the F/A-18 as a threat and shot it down. The pilots safely ejected and were retrieved, though one had minor injuries.
The incident occurred during a high-operational-tempo action off the coast of Yemen. On Saturday, before the accident, U.S. Central Command carried out a round of airstrikes against Houthi missile storage and command-and-control facilities in Sana’a, Yemen. During the operation on Saturday, CENTCOM forces also shot down multiple incoming Houthi suicide drones and one antiship cruise missile (ASCM) over the Red Sea. Both U.S. Air Force fighters and U.S. Navy F/A-18s were involved in that operation.
The friendly-fire incident highlighted the exceptionally challenging threat environment in the Red Sea, as well as the pressures on air defense personnel. In the tight confines of the Red Sea, U.S. Navy surface combatants often have a matter of seconds to correctly identify a Houthi missile threat and launch an interceptor in response. The risks of miscalculation are high, and this is not the first time that the allied response team in the Red Sea has made a mistake.
In February 2024, the German Navy frigate Hesse nearly shot down a U.S. drone aircraft over the Red Sea. The crew could not identify the drone and concluded that it posed a threat. Due to an unspecified "technical error," two missiles fired by Hesse at the drone both missed. "The case was resolved when it turned out that it wasn't a hostile drone, which only became clear in hindsight," German defense ministry spokesman Michael Stempfle said at the time.
USS Gettysburg is a Ticonderoga-class cruiser commissioned in 1991. She was fitted with a Cold War-era AN/SPY-1 multifunction air defense radar, which was upgraded during a nine-year-long inactivation and modernization period (2015-24). She is the only cruiser to complete repairs and deploy following the Navy's controversial service life extension program for the Ticonderoga-class.
Haiti's budding musicians hold concert amid ongoing gang violence
Around the world, it’s time for year-end school concerts and Haiti is no exception, despite the gang violence which is ravaging the country.
Children at the only music school in the capital Port-au-Prince, demonstrate bravery and devotion to their art, aspiring to futures as musicians and singers.
While hundreds of schools across the country were forced to close because of the fighting and lack of funds, the music school continued to attract students.
Funded by an NGO, it began teaching children at internally displaced shelters.
Yvenson Jeantille, who dreams of being a professional musician, makes the long walk from home to the school at least twice a week.
“The situation of the country as it reaches me, it has an impact, but I don’t let it interfere in my future,” he said.
Gangs are believed to control some 85 per cent of the capital. Thousands have died this year and rapes and kidnappings have spiked.
Families are reluctant to send their children to school, let alone allow them to play outdoors.
Teacher Kevin Marc Duverseau says music is important for the children as it helps them cope with the situation in the country.
“Music, in general, helps alleviate frustrations that we know many of us in our country are feeling,” he said.
“It also helps translate the feelings we all have, which can be both negative and positive, but even negative feelings can give rise to beautiful music."
As the fighting rages on, the Ecole Soleil d’Espoir (School of Hope and Sunshine) offers children the opportunity to dream of a brighter future.
Thousands celebrate the shortest day of the year
Revellers celebrate Winter Solstice at Stonehenge in southern England on Dec. 22, 2023. File/AFP
Thousands of tourists, pagans, druids and people simply yearning for the promise of spring marked the dawn of the shortest day of the year on Saturday at the ancient Stonehenge monument.
Revelers cheered and beat drums as the sun rose at 8:09 a.m. (0809 GMT) over the giant standing stones on the winter solstice - the shortest day and the longest night in the Northern Hemisphere.
No one could see the sun through the low winter cloud, but that did not deter a flurry of drumming, chanting and singing as dawn broke.
There will be less than eight hours of daylight in England on Saturday - but after that, the days get longer until the summer solstice in June.
The solstices are the only occasions when visitors can go right up to the stones at Stonehenge, and thousands are willing to rise before dawn to soak up the atmosphere.
“This is all about renewal, rebirth, we’re entering into the new year, and it’s also a good time to acknowledge what’s taking place in the year that’s been,” said civil servant Chris Smith, 31. “There’s such a vibe. I mean, if you look around, you’ve got everybody here, there’s such an energy in the space.”
The stone circle, whose giant pillars each took 1,000 people to move, was erected starting about 5,000 years ago by a sun-worshiping Neolithic culture.
Its full purpose is still debated: Was it a temple, a solar calculator, a cemetery, or some combination of all three?
In a paper published in the journal Archaeology International, researchers from University College London and Aberystwyth University said the site on Salisbury Plain, about 128 kilometres southwest of London, may have had political as well as spiritual significance.
That follows from the recent discovery that one of Stonehenge’s stones - the unique stone lying flat at the center of the monument, dubbed the “altar stone” - originated in Scotland, hundreds of miles north of the site.
Some of the other stones were brought from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales, nearly 240 kilometres to the west,
Lead author Mike Parker Pearson from UCL’s Institute of Archaeology said the geographical diversity suggests Stonehenge may have served as a “monument of unification for the peoples of Britain, celebrating their eternal links with their ancestors and the cosmos.”
Associated Press
Father Christmas delivers gifts to Brazilian Amazon communities
It might not be quite the 25th of December yet, but Father Christmas was very busy on Saturday visiting children in communities in the Brazilian Amazon.
Or at least his stand-in was.
In an initiative run by the Santa Claus Friends group, he could be seen travelling along the Negro River to distribute presents to children in rural and riverside communities.
"Every child in any community always smiles back. Wherever we go, it's a smile, it's a great joy," said Father Christmas impersonator, Jorge Alberto Moreira Barrozo.
With water levels low because of the ongoing drought, the group only travelled from the Amazon gateway city of Manaus to nearby Catalão, instead of the usual multiple locations.
But families from nearby communities were invited to come collect their gifts from Santa on smaller boats.
Community leader, Raimunda Ferreira, said it was a huge event for local communities.
"For riverside children, the people of the countryside, there’s not a lot of new things happening,” she said.
“This for us was like a gift from God. Children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, everyone was happy with the presence of Papa Noel and his friends."
And a fun day was had by all as Father Christmas played football and ran races with the children .
Feature: "Dr. Tree" greens Hong Kong's urban concrete jungle
Source: Xinhua Editor: huaxia 2024-12-22 by Xinhua writer Wang Xinyi
HONG KONG, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- In the midst of Hong Kong's high-rises and concrete sprawl, where space for greenery is at a premium, there is a man who has spent the past forty-plus years preserving and creating pockets of nature in the most unexpected places.
Known affectionately as "Dr. Tree," Jim Chi-yung stands out as a champion of Hong Kong's green heritage. His pioneering work in urban forestry has helped transform the city's skyline into a greener, more sustainable space, offering a model for other cities grappling with the environmental challenges of rapid urbanization.
"People often think of my field as purely technical, but urban forestry is an interdisciplinary science," Jim, a research chair professor and advisor of Geography and Environmental Science at the Education University of Hong Kong, and a former head of the Department of Geography at the Univeristy of Hong Kong, told Xinhua. "It demands that we balance conservation with the many competing needs of urban development."
In September this year, a ranking by Standford University named Jim the world's leading forestry scientist, out of more than 35,000 researchers, who not only retained his top spot in the "Single-Year Impact List", but also topped "the lifetime impact list."
On the rooftop of CLP Power Hong Kong Limited (CLP)'s Chui Ling Road substation in Tseung Kwan O lies Hong Kong's largest "sky woodland." The rooftop brimmed with native trees, its walls draped with climbing plants, creating a strikingly verdant contrast amid the cityscape.
A walk through this green canopy feels like entering a natural forest, a haven for urban wildlife in the heart of a bustling city -- a brainchild of Jim's decades of research in initially soil science and later on arboriculture and urban ecology.
Jim's efforts are particularly evident in his preservation of "champion trees" -- mature, often ancient specimens that form the backbone of Hong Kong's green heritage. Many of these trees, such as the century-old camphor trees on Haiphong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, have become at stake amid urban expansion and typhoons. Fortunately, Jim came to their rescue with his expertise.
"Champion trees are vital to Hong Kong's natural and cultural identity, and cannot be left unattended," Jim said. His advocacy also led to the creation of a government registry for ancient trees.
For decades, Jim has been trailblazing in shaping policies that protect these natural monuments. His influence was crucial in influencing the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation's decision to preserve the stone wall trees at Forbes Street during the construction of West Island Line's Kennedy Town Station.
Perhaps the most recent and transformative aspect of Jim's work is his focus on green infrastructure, transforming rooftops and walls into sustainable ecosystems. Unlike traditional green roofs that often rely solely on grass or shrubs, Jim incorporated native trees to create self-sustaining and biodiverse spaces.
Besides the CLP rooftop forest, Jim has designed more than 20 green rooftops in Hong Kong, including projects for the University of Hong Kong and Tai Po Market Station. "The environmental benefits of these green spaces go beyond aesthetics," said Jim, "They help cut energy costs through natural insulation, extend lifespan for roof waterproofing, improve air quality, and support biodiversity, which in turn helps cities adapt to climate change."
At 71, Jim's work is as relevant as ever. His current projects include improving the microclimates in Hong Kong's cramped subdivided homes, where many low-income families live. "Urban ecology is not just about trees, but about the quality of life in cities, particularly in areas where the environment has been compromised by rapid development," he said.
For decades, Dr. Tree's commitment has extended beyond research into mentoring the next generation of environmental scientists, including Benedict Essuman-Quainoo, a former PhD student and now a lecturer at the Education University of Hong Kong.
Benedict, originally from Ghana in West Africa, has embraced Jim's focus on "nature in cities," working to promote sustainable and resilient urban ecosystems in Hong Kong and elsewhere in the world, including his home country.
"In a city where every square foot counts, Dr. Jim has shown that there is always space for nature to flourish," Benedict said.
"Dr. Jim is so meticulous, from research design, and methodology to writing style, and is punctuate in everything," Benedict said. "He is such an inspiration for me, both in the past and now, with that passion for research and care for his students." ■
China takes steps against Canada institutions and individuals over Uyghurs and Tibet
Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses against Uyghurs, including forced labor in camps, and condemn its alleged oppressive rule in Tibetan areas.
Dec 22, 2024
BEIJING –
China said Sunday it was taking countermeasures against two Canadian institutions and 20 people involved in human issues concerning the Uyghurs and Tibet.
The measures, which took effect on Saturday, include asset freezes and bans on entry and the targets include Canada's Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project and the Canada-Tibet Committee, China's foreign ministry announces on its website.
Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses of Uyghurs, a mainly Muslim ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labor in camps. Beijing denies any abuses.
China seized control of Tibet in 1950 in what it describes as a "peaceful liberation" from feudalistic serfdom. International human rights groups and exiles, however, have routinely condemned what they call China's oppressive rule in Tibetan areas.
For the two institutions, China said it is freezing their "movable property, immovable property and other types of property within the territory of China." It is freezing the property in China of 15 people in the Uyghur institution and five on the Tibet commit
Cyclone Chido claims at least 94 lives in Mozambique
For the time being, Mozambique remains the country with the heaviest death toll.
Eduardo Mendes / UNICEF / AFP This handout picture on December 17, 2024 shows children next to a damaged tree after Cyclone Chido made its landfall near Pemba in northern Mozambique.
Cyclone Chido killed at least 94 people in Mozambique in its deadly rampage through the Indian Ocean last week, the country's disaster management agency said, raising a previous death toll of 76.
The cyclone, which devastated the French island territory of Mayotte before hitting the African mainland, also destroyed 110,000 homes in Mozambique, officials said on Sunday.
After making landfall the storm ravaged the northern province of Cabo Delgado with gusts of around 260 kilometres (160 miles) per hour, pelting it with 250 millimetres (10 inches) of rain in a day.
That part of northern Mozambique is both regularly ravaged by tropical storms and wrestling with unrest from a long-running extremist insurgency.
In the hard-hit Mecufi district a mosque had its roof stripped by the gale, as seen in images taken by UNICEF.
Fears of rising toll
For the time being, Mozambique remains the country with the heaviest death toll.
Seven days after the cyclone hit Mayotte, 35 people were reported dead and some 2,500 injured on that archipelago by the French Interior Ministry.
But it is feared the toll may rise sharply given the scores of undocumented migrants from the nearby Comoros islands, who tend to inhabit Mayotte's many shantytowns flattened by the storm.
After sweeping over Mozambique, the cyclone moved into Malawi. Despite losing intensity it killed 13 people and injured nearly 30 there, according to the Malawian disaster management agency.
Destructive Cyclone Chido unearths tensions between locals and migrants in France's Mayotte
Cyclone Chido not only ravaged Mayotte’s fragile infrastructure but also laid bare deep-seated tensions between the island’s residents and its large migrant population
BySAM MEDNICK Associated Press and THOMAS ADAMSON Associated Press December 22, 2024
MAMOUDZOU, Mayotte -- Cyclone Chido not only ravaged Mayotte’s fragile infrastructure but also laid bare deep-seated tensions between the island’s residents and its large migrant population.
Thousands of people who have entered the island illegally bore the brunt of the storm that tore through the Indian Ocean archipelago. Authorities in Mayotte, France's poorest territory, said many avoided emergency shelters out of fear of deportation, leaving them, and the shantytowns they live in, even more vulnerable to the cyclone’s devastation.
Still, some frustrated legal residents have accused the government of channeling scarce resources to migrants at their expense.
“I can’t take it anymore. Just to have water is complicated,” said Fatima on Saturday, a 46-year-old mother of five whose family has struggled to find clean water since the storm.
Fatima, who only gave her first name because her family is known locally, added that “the island can’t support the people living in it, let alone allow more to come.”
Mayotte, a French department located between Madagascar and mainland Africa, has a population of 320,000, including an estimated 100,000 migrants, most of whom have arrived from the nearby Comoros Islands, just 70 kilometers (43 miles) away.
The archipelago's fragile public services, designed for a much smaller population, have been overwhelmed.
“The problems of Mayotte cannot be solved without addressing illegal immigration,” French President Emmanuel Macron said during his visit this week, acknowledging the challenges posed by the island’s rapid population growth,
“Despite the state’s investments, migratory pressure has made everything explode,” he added.
The cyclone further exacerbated the island’s issues after destroying homes, schools, and infrastructure.
Though the official death toll remains 35, authorities say that any estimates are likely major undercounts, with hundreds and possibly thousands feared dead. Meanwhile, the number of seriously injured has risen to 78.
The migrants' shantytowns, known as "bangas," have long been an issue in Mayotte.
“Can we solve the issue of shantytowns today? The answer is no. We will address it during the stabilization and rebuilding phase,” Macron said.
Most migrants have family links in Mayotte and speak the same language. They seek a better life on the island rather than aiming to reach the European continent.
For many like Nazca Antoiy, a Comorian who has lived in Mayotte for a decade, the cyclone has stoked fears of displacement.
“I heard that people were told not to reconstruct new houses. So we need to worry about that,” she said.
These fears are not unfounded. Last year, France launched Operation Wuambushu, a controversial campaign to demolish shantytowns and deport undocumented migrants. Macron hinted that similar policies could resume but stressed reconstruction efforts would take precedence.
Mayotte’s geopolitical position has long made it a hotspot for migration. While the island voted to remain French in referendums held in 1974 and 1976, neighboring Comoros has never recognized its sovereignty and continues to claim the archipelago as its own. This unresolved dispute has fueled waves of migration, with thousands risking perilous sea crossings each year.
Outgoing French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau recently reignited the debate, describing the situation in Mayotte as a “war,” earlier this week. Retailleau proposed stricter measures, including using drones and naval patrols to block further arrivals. “We must be much tougher on the Comoros,” he said, accusing the neighboring government of allowing migrants to leave its shores unchecked.
Retailleau’s calls to “change the rules” include proposals to restrict birthright citizenship in Mayotte, a policy already tightened in 2018 to require proof that at least one parent had been a legal resident for more than three months. Critics argue that these measures only deepen Mayotte’s divisions without addressing the root causes of migration.
A 2023 parliamentary report cited in French media warned that the island was a “ticking time bomb" while suggesting redistributing part of Mayotte’s migrant population to mainland France — a proposal unlikely to gain widespread support.
___
Adamson reported from Paris
ITALY
118,000 workers affected by industrial crises - CGIL
Negotiations to prevent, limit layoffs doubled in 2024
ROME, 22 December 2024, ANSA English Desk
- ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
An estimated 118,000 workers have been involved in industrial crises in 2024, according to a dossier drafted by Italy's biggest labour union CGIL, a preview of which has been seen by ANSA.
In 2024, "negotiations at the crisis unit of the Business and Made in Italy Ministry (MIMIT) increased significantly" with a total of 105,974 workers involved in major industrial crises compared to the 58,026 reported in January this year.
In addition, 12,336 employees of small and medium-sized companies were laid off after fruitless negotiations between labour unions and the businesses' management, the union said.
The sectors affected ranged from fashion to energy and the chemical industry in a "discomforting scenario that risks to worsen", CGIL said in its updated dossier on 2024, ANSA can reveal.
Overall, "118,310 have already lost their jobs or are struggling to survive in negotiations", said CGIL.
In Jamaica's Rio Cobre oil spill case, activists and civil society say there are outstanding issues
The controversial legal conclusion notwithstanding, this matter remains unresolved in the eyes of environmentalists and governance advocates
This article was first published on Global Voices’ contributor Emma Lewis’ blog; an edited version appears below with permission.
We are not satisfied: that is the message from a large group of civil society organisations and individuals in an Open Letter toJamaica's Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP) regarding the extraordinary behaviour of theNational Environment and Planning Agency(NEPA), the government agency responsible for enforcing justice with regard to environmental crimes.
NEPA’s announcement in court on November 27, 2024, that it was withdrawingcriminal charges against Trade Winds Citrus Limited for a December 2023 oil spill in the Rio Cobre that affected the water supply of neighbouring communities, was greeted with surprise and condemnation from many corners of society. The media started talking about a “secret deal” between NEPA and the company; the details of the mediation agreement were not even revealed to the judge in court because of a non-disclosure clause.
Subsequently, NEPA Chairman Weldon Madden was asked to resign, while Matthew Samuda, the minister with responsibility for the environment, issued a statement that “the Government of Jamaica is not satisfied that the issue was handled at the Board leadership level with the required standards of transparency and openness.” Under considerable pressure, details of the Mediation Settlement Agreement were finally published on NEPA’s website, where a Chronology of Events from the oil spill can also be found.
Jamaica's rivers — including the Rio Cobre — have often been under siege from industrial pollution. In 2021, The Rio Cobre suffered a spill of caustic effluent from the nearby bauxite plant – and this incident was not the first time. The West Indies Alumina Company (Windalco), which runs the plant, was a repeat offender that “received multiple breach notices” and were, at the time, “defendants in a legal case filed by NEPA over a 2019 discharge into the river which resulted in a massive fish kill and several persons falling ill.” Windalco later tried to restock the river with fish, but the transparency of that process was also called into question.
In this most recent case, there are a number of issues arising that warrant further investigation. NEPA’s comment, relayed by Minister Samuda, that it determined withdrawing the case was justified based on “the limited material impact of the incident and the comprehensive cleanup undertaken” has given some environmentalists pause. Whether the damage caused by the oil spill was extensive or not, and regardless of how many fish were killed or not, the issue goes beyond that. Trade Winds Citrus Limited committed an environmental crime, which NEPA was prosecuting with the go-ahead from the DPP since the crime does not amount to a few dead fish; rather, it has an impact on nearby communities and the ecosystem in general, which many feel were hardly taken into consideration.
“Under the fiat granted by your office,” it said, “the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the administrative arm of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NRCA), is tasked with prosecuting environmental crimes. NEPA’s decision, however, to pursue mediation in this case raises serious questions about its commitment to environmental justice. We now urgently request a comprehensive investigation by your office into NRCA/NEPA’s actions. This is critical to restoring public confidence in environmental law enforcement and ensuring that agencies with prosecutorial powers act at all times in the public’s interest.”
Some of the issues identified included the fact that mediation was pursued in this case. “[I]ntended for compromise between private parties,” it said, the approach was “unsuitable for holding environmental offenders accountable, especially where there is significant public impact and public interest. It undermines deterrence and signals leniency toward environmental crimes.” The letter also criticised NEPA's narrow focus, which “prioritised the fish kill while disregarding the broader impacts of the oil spill on the river ecology, river users and the surrounding communities.”
Furthermore, NEPA dropped the case “based on vague assurances from TWCL, including commitments to best practices and collaboration, which lack clear enforcement mechanisms.” The signatories took this as a demonstration of “a lack of interest in prosecuting environmental crimes and a lack of intent to hold environmental offenders accountable within the criminal justice system,” especially when coupled with the fact that the agreement prevents “legal action by either party” and prohibits NEPA from assisting communities who may want to bring action against TWCL. This clause, it maintained, “stifles the communities’ and the public’s rights to seek justice, undermining and betraying public trust in environmental governance and the administration of justice.”
The group statement also alleges a lack of transparency or meaningful consultation with the affected communities, an exclusion that “denies stakeholders of their right to participate in the resolution of a matter directly impacting their lives and environment. The inclusion of a confidentiality clause in the mediation agreement, intended to shield its terms from public and judicial scrutiny, is unacceptable given the public nature and significant interest in this offence.”
The controversial legal conclusion notwithstanding, this matter remains unresolved in the eyes of environmentalists and governance advocates: “The public deserves full transparency and public accountability regarding NEPA’s decision-making processes and assurance that environmental laws will be enforced openly, vigorously and with due regard for environmental law standards, principles and best practices.
“Environmental crimes demand robust legal action — not alternative resolutions that fail to deliver justice or protection of natural resources. We urge your office to revisit this case, investigate NEPA’s actions, and undertake a long overdue broader review of NEPA’s prosecutorial effectiveness to strengthen environmental governance.”
Madhubala with her tyre at Karachi Zoo | Four Paws
It was the last Tuesday of November and there was an air of anticipation at Karachi’s sprawling Safari Park. Outside the elephant enclosure, a curious crowd of reporters and activists stood with cell phones and cameras out, exchanging whispers. Madhubala, the lone elephant left at Karachi Zoo, had just been shifted to these bigger premises and was going to be making her first public appearance here.
On the other side of the fence, as the doors opened and the way was cleared, in walked Madhubala. Oblivious to the fanfare around her, she immediately latched on to a carefully placed tyre inside her new night room.
Madhubala, which literally means ‘sweet girl’, is named after the iconic Indian actress, just like her sister Noor Jehan — with whom she shared a pen at the zoo — was named after Pakistan’s melody queen. Until Madhubala’s relocation, the 17-year-old African elephant had been living in solitary confinement at the Karachi Zoo for over a year, since the death of Noor Jehan.
The tyre is all she brought along with her from the zoo, her old home — after all, it was her best friend.
Until her reunion with her long-separated sisters Malika and Sonia, lonely Madhubala’s best friend at Karachi Zoo had become a rubber tyre…
Madhubala has a very special relationship with her tyre. The bond was forged after the death of her long-time companion and sister Noor Jehan. Witnessing up close her sibling’s demise, and the events leading to it, had left Madhubala depressed, traumatised and, most concerningly, lonely.
AN ANTIDOTE TO GRIEF
Having spent a lot of time with the elephants, Mahera Omar, filmmaker and co-founder of the Pakistan Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), remembers all too clearly the circumstances around the last days of Noor Jehan and the effects it had on her sibling. Noor Jehan had fallen into a cement pond and could not get back up. Animal activists and caregivers had turned up the zoo to help in the recovery efforts as Noor Jehan’s situation became public knowledge.
“A thunderous clank of iron made us turn our heads towards Madhubala,” recalls Omar. She had crashed with all her might into the gate holding her inside her night cage at Karachi Zoo. “We knew Madhubala was angry and upset,” she tells Eos.
What followed over the next 10 days was agonising for the two elephants as well as animal lovers. “As Noor Jehan lay helpless, we watched Madhubala get increasingly restless, disturbed by the swarms of people that had descended on to the spectacle of animal suffering, the noise of the crane, the altercations between the zoo management and animal lovers,” she recalls.
In the long days of grief and loneliness that followed Noor Jehan’s passing, the tyre was where Madhubala found emotional support. “She would often be standing next to her sister’s grave, withdrawn and quiet, the tyre nearby,” Omar continues.
Soon, the tyre became her best friend. Both of them were inseparable. It was with her everywhere she went: the night room, the enclosure and even the storage area. She showed it off to visitors as well.
The tyre would be ever-present, just within her reach, even when she was in the presence of animal lovers and the team from Four Paws, a Vienna-based global animal welfare organisation. Four Paws had previously facilitated the relocation of Kaavan, dubbed as the world’s loneliest elephant, from a zoo in Islamabad to sanctuary in Cambodia. And it was engaged to help with Madhubala’s rehabilitation as well.
This is why, when the talks of Madhubala’s relocation to Safari Park finally materialised, Four Paws decided to bring the tyre with her to the new home.
“The decision was taken to provide her with comfort in the new environment and a sense of security,” Pia Einheimler, the Four Paws field mission coordinator tells Eos. “The first thing Madhubala did while entering her new enclosure at the Safari Park was to turn around, grab the tyre and place it next to her… it really functions as a comforting toy,” she points out.
Even when out exploring her new home, she took the tyre along with her as an all-time companion. Little did Madhubala know that what she was soon going to find would be far more precious than her tyre. A heartwarming interaction was waiting for her, just a few footsteps from her night room.
A FAMILY REUNION
When she was still a calf, back in 2009, Madhubala and her three sisters were cruelly captured by poachers in Tanzania. Their mother was shot dead in front of their eyes. The baby elephants, on the other hand, were packed up and found their way to Pakistan.
Two of them — Madhubala and Noor Jehan — came to the zoo, while Malika and Sonia were sent to Safari Park. More than a decade later, the siblings were reuniting, courtesy of Noor Jehan’s death. Madhubala, however, was unaware of this. Itwas a surprise that was revealed to her a day after the relocation to the Safari Park.
Einheimler described the sisters’ reunion as an emotional moment for everyone who witnessed it.
Madhubala was out exploring the outdoor enclosure of her new home, while Malika and Sonia stood in their night room, which was separated by a fence. But they could see each other. Her sisters were showing a lot of interest in their sibling but Madhubala was busy playing with her tyre. When the last few obstructions between the siblings were finally removed, Sonia, the braver one, crossed over to greet Madhubala, with Malika in tow.
Before Madhubala arrived at Safari Park, Malika was the matriarch — the leader among the two resident elephants. According to research, when confronted with a new elephant, matriarchs often become defensive towards them, to protect themselves and their family members. None of that unfolded at the Safari Park though, as Malika and Sonia immediately recognised Madhubala’s shining eyes.
“The three sisters gently touched each other with their trunks, exploring new smells and moving together with a sense of calm and friendliness. We could feel they remembered each other,” says Einheimler.
And then something beautiful happened. Madhubala placed her beloved tyre in front of Malika, a present for her siblings. It was an invitation for them to share her valuable tyre with them. Moments later, Malika turned her back to Madhubala, an offer to her sibling to become the new matriarch of the now three-member herd.
Following the exchange, the sisters made their way to a nearby pond and had their first drink together. The tyre, on the other hand, stayed back inside Madhubala’s night room — a relic of the past.
“The tyre is still very important for Madhubala, but it is losing its emotional attachment bit by bit,” Einheimler continues. “Now, Madhubala has transformed into a completely different elephant. She is kind, friendly and playful,” she adds.
Madhubala’s transformation is visible, as much from her demeanour and interactions as it is from the glint in her eyes, says Einheimler. Perhaps, it also shows the appreciation a pachyderm has for being treated in a more humane manner.
